Any dog repeatedly found at large, making loud or objectionable
sounds, damaging property other than its owner's, molesting passersby,
chasing vehicles or a female dog in heat left unattended or a dog
which, upon investigation by the Dog Control Officer, is known to
have bitten one or more persons or shall have been determined by the
Dog Control Officer to be a detriment or threat to public health,
welfare or safety.

Any fierce or dangerous dog which constitutes a physical
threat to persons or other animals by virtue of its specific demonstrated
behavior, with the exception of dogs belonging to a government agency
acting in the official performance of authorized duty.

The provisions of this chapter shall apply throughout
the unincorporated area of Dorchester County, and services provided
hereunder are available to any incorporated area upon request, subject,
however, to the availability and appropriation in the annual budget
of the County Council. The County Council is not under any legal obligation
to provide animal control services to any incorporated city or town
within Dorchester County.

The Dog Control Officer shall, whenever possible,
seize and impound any stray dog or dog at large, any diseased or vicious
dog or any public nuisance dog. Every dog so seized and impounded
shall be cared for and fed by the Department until disposition is
made thereof as directed. The Dog Control Officer may pursue any dog
running at large onto public property or on the unenclosed exterior
premises of private property.

It shall be unlawful for any person to conceal any
dog or falsely deny ownership of any dog owned or harbored by provisions
of this chapter. No person shall attempt to or interfere with the
Dog Control Officer of the County in the performance of the Dog Control
Officer's duties nor shall any person attempt to or release without
authority any dog impounded pursuant to this chapter.

Immediately upon impounding dogs, the Dog Control
Officer shall make a reasonable attempt to notify the owner of such
dogs and inform him of the conditions whereby he may regain custody.
All dogs seized or received at the animal shelter shall be held for
at least five days from the time of receipt. For dogs bearing license
tags, the five days shall begin upon notification of the owner; however,
dogs surrendered to the animal shelter by the owners for disposal
or adoption may be disposed of or sold for adoption pursuant to the
provisions of this chapter at any time after the expiration of 48
hours from the time of receipt. Dogs received at an animal shelter
in critical condition from wounds, injuries or disease may be destroyed
immediately by the Dog Control Officer, after determining that the
dog is not under quarantine for rabies. Those persons shall not be
held liable for the act.

Any dog deemed a "dangerous dog" pursuant to § 10-619
of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, that
is found either at-large or otherwise in violation of § 10-619,
can be impounded, held and disposed of by an animal shelter with the
same rights, duties, privileges, immunities and notice requirements
as provided in § 10-615 of the Criminal Law Article (entitled
"Care of mistreated and neglected animals"), of the Annotated Code
of Maryland. In any judicial proceeding where the relief sought includes
return of such a dog, it shall be rebuttably presumed that it is not
in the interest of public safety to return such a dog to its owner
or to the person who was supposed to be caring for it when it was
impounded. In determining whether such a dog should be returned, the
court shall consider the totality of circumstances, including public
safety and any subsequent remedial measures by the dog's owner.

Within 30 days, pay for and attend obedience
training, chosen by the animal control authority. Within 10 days of
the end of the training, the owner shall provide documentation to
the animal control authority certifying successful completion of that
training; and

Upon receipt of written notification, an owner of
the dog shall not leave a dangerous dog unattended on the owner's
property unless the dog is confined indoors or in a locked and secure
enclosure, and the dog shall be securely muzzled and leashed at all
times.

Within 10 days after receipt of written notification
that the owner's dog is a dangerous dog, the owner shall pay for the
marking for identification of said dog, either by tattoo or microchip,
at the direction of the animal control authority.

Within 30 days, pay for and attend obedience training,
chosen by the animal control authority. Within 10 days of the end
of the training, the owner shall provide documentation to the animal
control authority certifying successful completion of that training.

Failure of the dog owner to properly ventilate a standing
vehicle or leaving an animal unattended in a parked or standing vehicle,
which endangers the animal's health, is considered an act of neglect,
and a violation of this chapter.

Failure to provide proper food, or proper water, or
proper space or proper shelter or protection from the elements, or
proper veterinary care, or proper exercise is considered an act of
neglect and/or cruelty, and a violation of this chapter.

Crimes relating to animals. In addition to any other penalty imposed by law, a person convicted of any misdemeanor violation of the State “Crimes Relating to Animals”, being Subtitle 6 of the Criminal Law Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, shall be in violation of this § 78-5K and shall not possess or reside with any animal for a period of five years following entry of conviction. Violation of § 78-5K shall result in the immediate removal of the animal(s) by an authorized officer of the Dorchester County Animal Control Division or Humane Society of Dorchester County. Violation of § 78-5K shall be a civil infraction as provided for in this chapter.

The owner of any dog seized pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter may redeem it from the animal shelter within five
days from the time of its receipt by establishing his/her ownership
to the satisfaction of the Dog Control Officer, by securing a current
license tag for the dog if the owner is a resident of the County and
by paying the current redemption charges and by paying the maintenance
of such dog at the current daily rate and by having the dog vaccinated
for rabies; provided, however, that if a licensed dog is impounded,
the owner may redeem it by paying the maintenance as above provided.

If any dog impounded under this chapter is not redeemed
by its owner within five days after notification thereof, it may be
made available by the Dog Control Officer for adoption as a pet upon
payment of an adoption fee.

Any person having knowledge of a person being
bitten or otherwise exposed to rabies by a dog shall report these
facts immediately to the Dorchester County Sheriff's Department. Confinement,
quarantine and disposition of the biting dog or a clinically suspected
rabid dog or a dog exposed to an animal known or suspected of having
rabies shall be in accordance with current adopted regulations of
the State Department of Health and Mental Hygiene entitled "10.06.02
Communicable Diseases - Rabies."

In case of loss of a license tag, the owner may procure
another tag for use during the balance of the year by surrendering
the old certificate and paying of fee or charge set by the Dorchester
County Finance Department.

The licensing provisions of this chapter shall
not apply to dogs actually confined to the premises of educational
and research institutions or incorporated benevolent societies devoted
to the care or hospital treatment of lost, straying or homeless animals.

All dog fees collected by the Dog Control Officer(s)
and any and all other moneys received by him from fees, charges or
sales, etc., shall be accurately accounted for and an annual audit
performed to the satisfaction of the County Council. The moneys thus
collected shall be used by the County Council to defray the expense
and costs of the enforcement and administration of this chapter.

Any person who violates any part of this chapter shall be guilty of a civil infraction under the authority of Chapter 147 of the Dorchester County Code. The maximum civil penalty for each violation of this chapter shall be $1,000. Each new day may constitute a separate violation. An occurrence may contain more than one offense. Each animal involved in an occurrence may constitute a separate offense.

Should any article or section, or part of an article
or section, or provision of this chapter be declared invalid or unconstitutional
by a court of competent jurisdiction, this shall not affect the validity
of the chapter as a whole, other than the part so declared to be invalid
or unconstitutional.